It has been a week full of high-tech happenings. First Apple announces its new iPod, then RealPlayer releases new software that hacks into the iPod, undercutting Apple's hold on the online music market.

Then, Google announces its multibillion initial public offering and is promptly smothered by a new variant of the MyDoom virus.

An omen for investors? Hacker conspiracy? Three other search engines were also slowed to a crawl as the virus bombarded their servers with messages. Given the high price of the offering, I would say you're ready for a fun ride if you want to plunge into the latest Internet investor craze.

Google, perhaps inflated by pride in being called the "best Internet search engine" by people like me, has priced its shares to raise about $3 to $4 billion.

By analysts' calculation, the valuation places Google worth at $32 billion.

This for a company posting net income of $143 million in the first six months of the year, up from $58 million in the year-ago period.

If you think that you may be infected with Googlitist, and you're itching to phone your broker, remember not to bet the farm.

If you're infected with MyDoom, and are unsure how to check your system, you can download McAfee's free Stinger tool to scan your system and remove the virus it is present.

Go to http://us.mcafee.com and click on the MyDoom virus link.

Meanwhile Apple was proudly showing of its new version of its iPod player, which is linked to an online music store, iTunes, when on Monday, RealNetworks released software, named Harmony, that enables people to play music from its downloads store on iPods.

Apple has always refused to provide licences to companies attempting to make their software compatible with Apple products, especially the iPod.

RealNetworks said its created Harmony from scratch and had not hacked the iPod code.

RealNetworks wants to sell online music at its store Real Music Store in a bid to compete with Apple's iTunes.

Unfortunately, the sale of online music at both sites is limited to US residents.

Political junkies who want to watch all the speeches at this year's Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, can get their fill at the Voice of America site.

Voice clips and live online video coverage is available at www.voanews.com http:www.voanews.com.

So if you're hungry for free online music while you wait for the companies to sort out the copyright, here's some great places to get your fill.

If you want to see the latest new and already famous bands on the pop and rock circuit try the FabChannel, which has video footage of entire gigs. Unknown bands (to me) such as Legends of the Underground and SoundClash vie for attention with such established groups as the Sugarbabes, the Gathering, the Black Eye Peas and the Fun Loving Criminals. As you can guess, the lineup is heavily European/Brit based. There are about 50 to 60 videos available for free viewing at the site www.fabchannel.com http://www.fabchannel.com.

What shall I watch to stay hip?

Us old fogies can stay hip with Neil Young, who has created Greendale, his demonstration of the melding of music, art and the Internet. Young has taken Greendale, a recent album, and turned it into an Internet opera, including streams of all the songs.

Young played concerts throughout Europe and put the live streams of the songs straight on to the website at www.neilyoung.com. The music starts immediately, so don't do this at work.

For an example how musicians without a record deal can promote themselves on the Internet try Brian Houston's site at http://brianhouston.com.

The crooner from Northern Ireland can really belt out a tune and he puts all of them on his site for those who register.

I first heard about Houston on the BBC. The BBC's music site at www.bbc.co.uk http://www.bbc.co.uk. Click on the "Radio" link. In addition to the live radio feeds, there's a lot of music lying behind the links. Try clicking on the Radio 6 Music link (not the live feed) and you'll get to a goldmine of information on groups, and better yet, streaming BBC performances at Radio 6 's Music Dream Ticket (click on the Audio/Video link). Right now you can listen again to live sessions by Madness, Psychedelic Furs, Aretha Franklin at the "Listen Again" link.

The great advantage of the BBC is their "A to Z" listing of musicians and bands.

It's a very comprehensive music portal.

There's one at Radio 6, and there's a different one at Radio 1, each with different bands and streaming music!

For example, click on David Bowie and you get 11 recordings of BBC interviews and two full video clips of songs, to show the man in all his former whacked out glory.

If the BBC doesn't have any music online for a particular band, then try clicking on the links to sites the BBC puts in their biographies.

Often many bands, especially new ones, will include at least one or two songs. For example visit the site the Hives, a Swedish band, have created to match their quirky personalities at www.hives.nu. You immediately launch into the full version of their hit single Walk Idiot Walk.

****

Contact Ahmed at editoroffshoreon.com